Thread: Sadie's Complete Bellydance Guide

Hi everyone! I'm desperately looking for a review on the above named DVD and couldn't find one. I watched the youtube snippet of hollywood music center on youtube, but that were merely 30 seconds.
Has someone tested the DVD yet?
I'm pondering about buying it and I am not sure if it's the one for me.
Thanks in advance!

Originally Posted by fancypants

Hi everyone! I'm desperately looking for a review on the above named DVD and couldn't find one. I watched the youtube snippet of hollywood music center on youtube, but that were merely 30 seconds.
Has someone tested the DVD yet?
I'm pondering about buying it and I am not sure if it's the one for me.
Thanks in advance!

Mine has been shipped a couple of days ago. will let you know once i ve had a look at it (probably one week from now).
she seems to be teaching basic movements apparently including travelling ways as the short (and not extremely helpful ) trailer suggests, and a short drum solo choreography.

ya I ve always wished the HMC trailers were like WDNY's! when will the people learn we are MUCH more likely to purchase the dvd if the trailer is a real appetizer?!

Thanks honey! You're too kind.

My problem is, Sadie is a gorgeous dancer but I have the feeling her workshops and classes are much better than her DVDs (like Princess Farhanas DVDs, too). A friend of mine owns all her other dvds and told me, that they have a huge value, but she looks all bored and indifferent all the time and her voice sounds like she would read her text from a transparent behind the camera.
I just want to know if I can handle her teaching style (I'm a bit peckish, since of WDNY quality DVDs. ;))

Warum reden wir eigentlich nicht deutsch? ;) Nur so mal am Rande....

I am desperately waiting for Beautiful Technique and Isolations with Sandra (but the second one didn't hit the shelves yet).

And yes, you're absolutely right: When will they understand that you don't get the customers to buy if they don't know enough about the product.

LOL sure I could answer in German, but that would exclude everybody else right ;)

Yaaa I am waiting for info on Sandra's new one! I discovered her more than 2 years ago, her lovely tales of the sahara performance:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tq25Ic4971A]YouTube - Sandra - BellyDancer[/ame]

through her, I discovered Michelle Joyce and By Dancers for Dancers :)

I find her great, so fluid and feminine.
I hope she teaches some of that and not only another beginner moves dvd like most of the others :)
I ll let you know how Sadies dvd looks once I receive it (have a toe injury from dancing I think - will take it easy and not do anything for a week or two :) )

I've owned Sadie's Drum Solo and Slow and Sultry. There is some useful info on those DVDs, but I never ended up using them much and sold them. Don't know if her newer one will be different.

As far as Sandra's DVD goes, according to her website, the release date is February 5th. So maybe next week...

Sandra -- Bellydance DVDs

Originally Posted by fancypants

My problem is,
.

hey!

my dvd arrived! just quickly took a peek into some chapters.
very long, two hours, a very pretty performance - these things u already know.
according to the chapters she goes into much detail:
upper&lower body horizontal/vertical, figure 8s horizontal/vertical + variations, undulations + variations, basic shimmy, travelling hip movements, basic egyptian variations (basic egyptian for her is the walk forward with hip lifts), traveling with hip variations/undulations, travelling with hip circles and layering. the last 2chapters sound very interesting, i have not looked at them yet.

what i did look at was basic undulations&figure 8s variations: figure 8s she does "irregulary", like three movements (right-left-right) normal timing, 4th count "hold"; undulations she combines regular and reverse undulations. in both chapters i very shortly peeked in, so there might be a lot more.
once i ve had time to look at it more closely i ll let you know!

she says the dvd is meant for her students to practice EVERYTHING outside of class for themselves. i think that s it, it s a great amount of basic movements as far as I see. She executes the basic movements VERY beautifully. I love watching her do figure 8s only. That alone to me is worth the dvd, coz i like SIMPLE movements, and sadie can do such fancy stuff that she never lets us see the simplicity and perfection in her basic movements.
I love it.

so: if u want to see someone who can move as gracefully as Sadie execute basic movements beautifully, get it.
the choreography is pretty short and simple, set to drum music, few shimmies, mostly travelling movements. fine with me, walk around in a circle around myself with undulations with slight level change (foot - ball -ball style) will help me travel more gracefully.

If you want to train MANY variations of basic movements, I think Jenna s Basics and Beyond would be a better choice. That is the one dvd PACKED with content for the beginner, but also more advanced learners to really drill everything. If you do not have it and are not a die-hard Sadie fan who wants to enjoy her beginner teaching for the sake of itself, get Jenna s I d say. You might also want to consider Autumn Ward s new one. She has admirable technique, too. Autumn is pretty "core-focused"/balletesque though, lending her "classical" grace, Sadie works her movements more from the hips (which is more grounded and Mideastern to me).

It s not an expensive dvd, and I think unless you re short on budget you might want to get all three (Jenna, Sadie and Autumn), like I did.
If you want one and need to drill ALL kinds of movements, get Jenna. she s the no 1. If you want artistic expression with ballet-esque technique - get Autumn. If you love to watch Sadie move and would like her to guide you trhough drills - get this one :)

hope that helps will write more once I ve looked at it in depth!

Thanks for your efforts, Dina! It would be nice to know more when you are able.

Helen

Sure I ll let you know with pleasure!
Hope I ll be able to look into it in greater detail within the course of the week!

Thank you so much Dear!

(Psst, ich hab Jennas schon (bin ich grad am durcharbeiten) und Autumn Wards hab ich mir letzte Woche bestellt *WDNYsüchtig* ;))

I will consider about buying this one when Autumn Wards DVD will be arrived.

*quietly grumbling about the fact that there isn't a Belly by Sandra trailer on youtube yet*

Just an FYI...I took a workshop from Kaya & Sadie last summer in Denver, even paid extra for a private lesson. I have...I own/owned Thrillin Drillin, Sultry Slow Moves, Sadie's Drum Solo...I now have Aziza's Bellydance Companion and find it much more useful. Her style contains alot of the same locks...but with more of a classical style. The mechanics are good in Kaya and Sadie's...but of course like everything its practice that will make you better.

Originally Posted by Nashid

.I now have Aziza's Bellydance Companion and find it much more useful. Her style contains alot of the same locks...but with more of a classical style. The mechanics are good in Kaya and Sadie's...but of course like everything its practice that will make you better.

Oh I absolutely like Azizas style even better!!!!
I have her Practice Companion but have not felt ready for it so far .w.:

Originally Posted by fancypants

Thank you so much Dear!

(Psst, ich hab Jennas schon (bin ich grad am durcharbeiten) und Autumn Wards hab ich mir letzte Woche bestellt *WDNYsüchtig* ;))

I will consider about buying this one when Autumn Wards DVD will be arrived.

*quietly grumbling about the fact that there isn't a Belly by Sandra trailer on youtube yet*

haha I want a Sandra trailer too! I believe Sandras is going to be shorter, less information though.. The Cheekygirlsproduction videos for beginners are generally a lot shorter than WDNY I ve noticed.
But I ll be pleasantly surprised if that s not the case :)

I have too many beginner dvds anyway ..c::

But yeah guilty of WDNY addiction as well !!! ..l;,
Ordered Ranya Renees and Autumns too.. Autumn is supposed to be AMAZING I hear from people who have received it today or yesterday!!! Cant wait!!

Oh I looked into Sadie s more thoroughly tonight.
It is unlikely you ll find something you ve never seen if you have a couple of beginner dvds already.
The choreography is very short, and there is no run-through with music only?

The movement drilling with Sadie is good. I d say this justifies the purchase even if one has several beginners already.
She does a lot of preparation for 3/4shimmies upward and downward, but does not teach the actual shimmy. For me who cannot do them yet this is good, just muscle building no stress.
I picture the actual 3/4 shimmy will follow on her intermediate one.

Her variations are nice. She ll do like body waves steps to the side with half figure 8s. This is stuff I have not practiced anywhere else.

Apart from that it s the usual movements, drilled patiently with Sadie.
For me it was absolutely worth the purchase for this price.
A beautiful set by the way, beautiful production.. compliments to hollywood Music Records!!

I might not have purchased it for IAMED prices though - not enough unique stuff on it. Hope this helps!

Thanks Dina. I think I'll pass and wait for her intermediate dvd. I have a lot of beginner dvds. Too many, actually.

Helen

Originally Posted by dinavienna

Oh I looked into Sadie s more thoroughly tonight.
It is unlikely you ll find something you ve never seen if you have a couple of beginner dvds already.
The choreography is very short, and there is no run-through with music only?

The movement drilling with Sadie is good. I d say this justifies the purchase even if one has several beginners already.
She does a lot of preparation for 3/4shimmies upward and downward, but does not teach the actual shimmy. For me who cannot do them yet this is good, just muscle building no stress.
I picture the actual 3/4 shimmy will follow on her intermediate one.

Her variations are nice. She ll do like body waves steps to the side with half figure 8s. This is stuff I have not practiced anywhere else.

Apart from that it s the usual movements, drilled patiently with Sadie.
For me it was absolutely worth the purchase for this price.
A beautiful set by the way, beautiful production.. compliments to hollywood Music Records!!

I might not have purchased it for IAMED prices though - not enough unique stuff on it. Hope this helps!

i agree with this review. for the price, it is a very nice addition for daily practice. i like the speed- she moves along quickly from one isolation and drill to the next one and the informal atmosphere...she doesn't wear fancy workout clothes and the set is much simpler than IAMED uses. She faces a mirror, which makes it easy to follow along. if i get tired of her talking, i just turn down the volume and play my own music.

I just went through this DVD and wanted to make a few quick comments. I'm terrible at doing reviews and so will keep it brief.

Obviously different people click with different styles. I was just reading the posts above and don’t really agree with some of the comments (I also love Princess Farhana’s DVDs. I don’t care that the background and so forth isn’t perfect. Her instruction is unique and exceptional IMO, but more on her at a later time:O).

I love Sadie’s DVD’s, as her DVD’s have helped me improve my dance technique tremendously. I only got this one because it is Sadie, as I don’t need another beginner DVD. However, it’s really more beginner and beyond, similar to Jenna’s (spell ??). Sadie not only goes through a thorough warm-up and technique section, she then goes through many different traveling moves and shows lots of variations to basic movements. She also spends a good bit of time going over arms/hands and the importance of incorporating energy into your movements at all times.

I love it! She doesn’t spend that much time on the choreography at the end because the video itself is already very long. However, it flows very well with the material she previously covered in the DVD, and the choreography is fairly simple.

I highly recommend this DVD to beginner and intermediate dancers. If you like Jenna’s DVD’s from WDNY then I think you’ll like this as well.

Just out of curiosity. Is there a decent amount of drilling done of the basics or an just the explanation and maybe 16 -22 counts of drilling?

Originally Posted by dancerose

Just out of curiosity. Is there a decent amount of drilling done of the basics or an just the explanation and maybe 16 -22 counts of drilling?

I think so. You can always rewind if you want to drill longer.